The 2025 Pegasus World Cup (G1) happens at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, January 27! With a colossal $3 million purse, the top dirt horses in the country will line up for one of the the most exciting races of the year. It is also one of the best horse race betting opportunities there is, which is no surprise given the big field and the top-class horses involved.
One of the newest traditions in horse racing, the Pegasus World Cup has only been run since 2017. However, even in its short history, the race has had superstar winners like Arrogate, Gun Runner, Knicks Go, and National Treasure.
Which horse is most likely to join this illustrious list this year? Read on to find out, and to get to know the best sportsbooks for betting the 2025 Pegasus World Cup.
As much as we all dream of being trackside and betting the Pegasus World Cup in person, not all of us can make it there. Fortunately, online betting makes it easy to be part of the action from anywhere by betting the Pegasus World Cup online. Betting online is easy, trustworthy, and allows you to make your bet from home or on the go.
Choosing an online sportsbook can seem daunting at first since there are many options out there. However, we can help you find the best online sportsbooks for every betting style. That way, you can quickly and easily maximize your betting profits.
After all, every site we recommend has the basics of a great online wagering experience: real Las Vegas odds, great user interfaces, and trusted money management. Each site also offers lucrative Pegasus World Cup betting bonuses like sign-up and deposit incentives, referral benefits, and even horse racing rebates that pay you in cash or betting credit for every wager you make!
These are the best online betting sites for Pegasus World Cup 2025. Don’t forget to check out the BetUS sportsbook review.
This is the official field for the 2025 Pegasus World Cup including post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:
Note that the morning-line odds are only an estimate of the wagering action. They can be useful to gauge how markets may swing closer to race time, but they are not a guarantee of on-track odds. Betting close to post time may lead to uncertainty or even a late shortening of odds.
Your best bet on the Pegasus World Cup is to play the race at an an online sportsbook, because you get an advantage over people betting on track. With fixed-odds wagering on major races, you can lock in an overlay as soon as you see one. And, you know exactly what you’ll be paid when your horse wins!
These are the Pegasus World Cup odds at the top of the market:
 |  |  |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Locked | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| White Abarrio | +300 | +300 | +300 |
| Saudi Crown | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Mystik Dan | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Mixto | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Skippylongstocking | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Stronghold | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
Now that you know where you are going to bet the race, it is time to handicap the field. Read on to get to know the Pegasus World Cup field and find out the best bets!
The value play in the Pegasus World Cup is Stronghold. He is a newly-turned four-year-old facing older for the first time, but has the right tools. He was a good second to serious sprinter Raging Torrent last time, and now stretches out to a trip at which he is a Grade 1 winner. With tactical speed from a favorable draw, it looks like a situation where he can show his best.
The probable betting favorite is Locked, but he is a bet-against here. He comes out of a good win in the Cigar Mile (G2), but he has never gone past 1 1/16 miles. He also has to deal with a far-outside gate, which can be trouble at Gulfstream Park. Up against a field of more experienced older horses, the price will not be right.
Others near the top of the market are more appealing. White Abarrio, a Gulfstream Park regular who won the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic, has rounded back into some good form. Though he was defeated last out, it was a seven-furlong race and he started poorly. If he comes away better from a nice draw, he should get a good tracking trip and be a tough contender.
Saudi Crown also has some appeal in this. Though there are quite a few in the race who can show speed, Saudi Crown shapes as the speed of the speed. Gulfstream has a well-earned reputation for being a good track for speed horses, and if Saudi Crown can break well from his near-inside gate he may be the one to take them all the way around.
Even though Crupi is an unlikely winner, he is far more likely to round out a trifecta or superfecta. He is a consistent closer who usually doesn’t get all the way there, but always makes a late run. He has even proven he can do so at Gulfstream, as he closed for third in the 2024 Pegasus World Cup. Recent races suggest he is in similarly good form still.
Even though Power Squeeze is mired on the outside, an admittedly tough post, she’ll be a big enough price to consider for exotics. She is well proven at Gulfstream, she ran an excellent second in a one-turn race last out (ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner!), and all of her graded-stakes wins have come in routes. With the tactical speed to handle an outside gate, she could outrun her odds.
Now that you know the contenders, it is time to get your wagers down on the race! These are the expert best bets for the 2025 Pegasus World Cup!
About the Author
For a decade, Rowan Ward has been making horse race predictions and wagers in Chicago, and has been writing about horse racing for nearly just as long. Understanding the various factors that influence a race's outcome, they often find that the age-old saying "the pace makes the race" can uncover worthwhile betting opportunities. When it comes to handicapping, their favorite races are those held locally in Chicago, major stake races across the country, and two-year-old maiden races with intriguing bloodlines.
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